Click here to read 2018 Piermont Library upcoming election press release

On Wednesday, December 5th, 2018, Piermont voters will be asked to elect three trustees for the Dennis P. McHugh Piermont Public Library. The vote will take place at the Library, 25 Flywheel Park West. Polls will be open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

At present there are three known candidates for three trustee positions:

• Mitchell Eiss, a retired financial services executive, who is seeking a first term.
• Len Hunt, a local building contractor, who is seeking a first term.
• Cara Stepanian, a lifelong educator, who is seeking a second term.

Any registered Piermont voter, however, may run for election as a trustee. Potential candidates are required to submit a petition signed by twenty-five eligible Piermont voters. Blank petitions are available at the Library and must be returned to the Library by November 20, 2018.

Among the candidates, Eiss has been a resident of Rockland County for 15 years and of Piermont for 2 years. He retired from the financial services industry after a thirty-year career. Hunt has been a Piermont resident for 48 years. He has owned Rockland County Home Improvement for 29 years. Stepanian has lived in Piermont for 10 years. She has taught literature and writing at both college and high school levels.

The library’s holdings include new releases of adult and children’s books, movies, and music as well as e-books, digital audiobooks and downloadable music.

The library also offers a wide range of programs for toddlers and older children, a monthly free film showing, monthly exhibits by local artists, book talks, game nights, local history exhibits and lectures, student art exhibitions, monthly book clubs, concerts, adult summer reading, and mah jongg.

Library Activity Statistics, 2017-2018

• 1,659 Piermont residents – approximately 66 percent – hold library cards
• 375 programs offered, with a total of 4,942 people attending and additional 269 people using our space for meetings
• 19,639 holdings circulated (17,693 physical items and 1,946 e-books, digital audiobooks and other digital content)
• 18,073 visitors to the library

Download up to 5 songs per week per library card. NEW: In addition to the 5 downloads per week, cardholders can now stream up to 3 hours of music per day! Simply follow the “Freegal” link to download or stream music from the SONY catalog using your library card number and PIN. Freegal music service has free mobile apps available in the Apple Store and Google Play. Log in at: https://www.freegalmusic.com/home

“Piermont Reads” is a reading project centered on Thomas Berger’s novel, Neighbors. Think of it as a village-wide book club.

The project begins with distribution of free paperback copies of the book at our launch party on Wednesday, June 20th at 6:30 p.m. (Supply is limited. Don’t miss your chance to pick up a copy.) Light refreshments will be served.

We will all read the book over the summer months and then reconvene for two Piermont Reads events in the Fall. A scholarly talk by Library Trustee, Dr. Cara Stepanian, will be held Sunday, September 23rd at 2 pm. A screening of the film adaptation of the book will be held Friday, October 5th at 7:30 pm.

Why Berger?

Local artist Jeanne Redpath-Berger, widow of renowned author Thomas Berger, left a bequest to the Dennis P. McHugh Piermont Public Library when she passed in 2015. The two had been longtime Grandview residents. To honor the Berger family and their generous bequest to the library, the funds will be used in part to sponsor the “Piermont Reads” project.

Author of over 20 novels, Thomas Berger was described by Hillel Italie in the LA Times as, “the witty and eclectic novelist who reimagined the American West in the historical yarn Little Big Man and mastered genres ranging from detective stories to domestic farce.” Alex Taylor’s 2014 obituary on Lohud.com states that, “By all accounts Berger loved the Nyack-Piermont area, prizing its privacy and scenic beauty. He was often spotted walking his dachshund and shopping for groceries. Berger was also said to have frequented local libraries and to have occasionally socialized with fellow Grand View residents.”